Construction of gem-settings



(No Model.)

0. T. SMITH.

CONSTRUCTION OF GEM SETTINGS. No. 363,556. Patented May 24,1887.

WiTNEssm:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORVILLE T. SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK.

CONSTRUCTION OF GEM-SETTINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,556, dated May 24, 1887.

Application filed August 23, 18:6. Serial No.ltl,616. (No modehl T ail w/wm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORVILLE T. the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of GemSettings, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a setting with a stem formed integral therewith, which is particularly adapted to ear-rings, studs, laeepins, rings, bracelets, &c.; and my invention may be embodied in that class of buttons in which the heady and stem are made of one piece of metal without seam or joint.

The invention consists in a setting of novel construction, hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims; and it also consists in the novel construction of a button, to which the construction of a setting and its stem mutually contribute, as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The method commonly practiced in providing settings with a stem is to make the setting and stem separate and to unite them by solder. In such case, if the stem is tubular, it has a seam lengthwise thereof, it being drawn from a' flat strip through tubular plates, and is briefiyset forth in the following:

Froma long strip of sheet metal a blank is cut havinga disk-shaped center provided with radial arms, as shown in Figure 1. By suitable tools it is then pressed into the shape shown in Fig. 2. Then the wire blank,which is drawn through tubular plates, is cutinto the required lengths and soldered to the base of the shape shown in Fig. 2. In the smaller sizes of settings the stem used, being very small, is made solid. The difficulty of securely connecting the parts and properly centering the set-ting on the wire blank by the operation is-apparent at a glance.

My invention overcomes all these objections in producing a stem integrally formed upon a settin and the centers of the stem and set D! ting are always true with each other, which alone is an item of great consideration to the manufacturer.

My invention also produces a stem of any desired size and thickness upon the settings, either previous to or after the formation of the setting, as desired.

The importance of my invention consists in SMITH, of producing with less labor and expense, and

without the use of solder, a gem-setting provided with a stem stronger and better than heretofore made.

The invention is described as follows: Fig. I is a perspective view of the sternblank, showing the projecting prongs or claws Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a setting and stem embodying my invention. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the setting and stem provided with a back plate as embodied in my invention. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of construc'ion, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts in all the figures.

In the practice of my invention a piece of wire is preferably used and drawn to the size required to form the stem A, and cut into the requiredlengths, as shownin Fig. 3. Then, by means of successive operations with suitable tools. (not shown,) one end of the stem A is.

upset and enlarged to the required size, from which the desired parts can be out, leaving the arms or claws radiating from the stem, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby forming the improved setting-blank 0, provided with a stem, A. The projecting prongs or claws 0 can be of any desired number, and are by suitable tools pressed into shape (shown in Fig. 5) to produce the setting-head C.

In the drawings, Fig. 7, shown partly sectional, is seen a modified form of the one seen in Fig. 4, which produces like final results. The modification is principally in forming the stem of the setting, which is produced as hereinafterdeseribed.

Atubular blank, A, is formed by successive operations with suitable tools, (not shown,') and one end is gradually enlarged to form an outwardly-turned flange, G, of the desired size. At this point in the construction of the settingblank parts of the flange G can be cut away, leaving the projecting arms 0, and can be formed into the shape shown in Fi 4; but I preferably draw the flange O with suitable tools (not shown) into the cupshaped head D. (Shown in Fig. 7.) A stone can be inserted in the cup shape D, and secured by burnishing the edge around the stone; or parts of the cup shape D can be cut away, leaving the arms or claws 0, (shown in Figs. 4 and 5,) or in other desired styles. The cup-shaped head D and stem A can be formed solid and bored to the required size from the front previous to cutting the parts away, leaving the desired claws. If the stem A is desired to be tubular, it can be bored from the front or back. By this construction the manufacture of certain desirable styles is obtained, and the hand-made appearance, so essential in fine work, can be given the setting.

The essential parts of my invention being the setting 0 and stem A formed integral, its mutual contribution in the construction of a button is plainly shown in Figs. 6 and 7, where a shoe, B, is formed upon the stem A, which has the setting 0 formed on its upper end. My invention is not, however, limited to a setting headed button in which the shoe is formed integral with the setting andstem, it being only essential that the stem and setting forming the head shall be formed of a single piece of metal without seam or joint.

My invention is especially valuable in the formation of studs in which a setting forms a part, as by it I can produce the setting with an integrally-formed spiral of greater strength and less liability to break than a soldered one. In the formation of the design oflaee-pi us, earrings, &c., tubular pieces are affixed to receive the stem of the setting which is to receive the diamond or other gem, and if the stem is not properly seen red to the setting the soldered joint is liable to break or come apart and the diamond lost.

No soldering is required by my. invention, which produces a setting and stem shaped and made of one continuous piece of metal.

In forming my improved setting itis essential that the flanges or stock from which the prongs or arms are cut should be approximately flat, and to that end I first form the stem, then the flange, during which operation the desired result is produced.

I am aware that a setting has been made with an upset rim or bezel formed integral with the setting, and which is formed by drawing the center of a blank provided with radial arms into cup shape simultaneously with bonding up the radial arms, then elongating and punching out the bottom of the cup shape, and then upsetting the hollow cylindrical base, bending it into a rim or bezel, and I do not de sire to claim such construction as of my invention.

By my invention I provide for very cheaply producing a gem-setting and a setting headed button which has a stem formed integral with the setting and setting-head, and has the following advantages over those of the old methodsviz., increased strength and durability, decrease of material used in and time and labor saved in their manufacture.

In the foregoing specification I have described my process and the slight modification thereof, and desire protection on it, as herein shown and described. 4

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The improved process of constructing a gem-setting provided with a stem, as herein described, to wit, forming a stem-blank by suitably-constructed tools, in then enlarging or flaring outward one end of the stem-blank to form a flange or head, and then cutting out parts of the flange or head, leaving prongs or arms,whereby is produced a setting or setting head provided with an integrally-formed stem, substantially as described.

2. The novel process of constructing gemsettings provided with a stem, consisting in enlarging one end of a stem-blank to form a flange or head, in then cutting out parts of the flange or head, leaving projecting arms or prongs, and in then d rawi ng the arms or prongs upward in approximately axial line to the stem, whereby is produced a gem-setting pro vided with an integrally-formed stem, substantially as described.

3. The improved process of constructing a gem-setting provided with a stem, consisting in enlarging or flaring outwardly one end of a stem-blank to form a flange, and in then drawing the flange into a cup shape, whereby is produced a gem-setting or setting-head provided with an integrally-t'ormed stem, substantially as described.

4. The improved process of constructinga gem setting and stem formed of onepiece, consisting in enlarging one end of a stem-blank to form a flange, in then drawing the flange into a cup shape, and in then cutting out parts of the cup shape, leaving prongs or claws, where by is produced agem-setting formed in one piece with the stem, substantially as described.

5. The improved process of constructing a genrsetting and stem formed of one piece, consisting in first forming the stem, in then enlarging one end of the stem to form a head, in then boring out the center of the head, and in then cutting away parts of the head, leaving prongs orarms, whereby is producedagem-setting or setting-head and stem shaped and made from a single continuous piece of metal, sub-- stantiall y as described.

ORVILLE T. SMITH.

7 OH. OH EVALIN. 

